Best Carpet Cleaner Buying Guide

Jul 18, 2023

When dirt gets embedded in your carpets, removing it can be a challenge—but not if you have a carpet cleaner. This powerful machine can get rid of even the most stubborn grime, like muddy paw prints or red wine spills. You can rent a carpet cleaner from a home improvement store for about $20 to $30 per day, but that comes with the hassle of hauling the cleaner home, which might not be easy, considering a lot of carpet cleaners are heavy. For many people, it makes more sense to purchase your own carpet cleaner.

There's no shortage of carpet cleaners on the market today, but don't worry: We’ve tested a wide selection in our labs to help you find the right one for you.

It takes three days to put one carpet cleaner through our battery of cleaning performance tests. Our engineers soil large swatches of off-white nylon carpet with red Georgia clay. We run a cleaner over the carpet for four wet and four dry cycles, simulating how you’d clean a particularly dirty spot on a well-trafficked carpet. Then we repeat the test on two more swatches.

Over the course of the test, our experts use a colorimeter, a device that measures the absorption of light wavelengths, to take 60 readings of each carpet per test: 20 in its "virgin" state, 20 after it has been soiled, and 20 after it has been cleaned. Sixty readings each on three swatches make a total of 180 readings per model. Based on how much color is left, we score how well the carpet cleaner has removed the soil for our cleaning score.

We also evaluate how loud each carpet cleaner is, which makes up our noise score, and how easy each one is to use, for our convenience score.

Machines that were better at lifting embedded dirt have larger, more powerful motors. Almost all the full-sized models did a better job at removing dirt. Bissell and Hoover, the two largest manufacturers of carpet cleaners, say you must use their cleaning solutions in their machines or you could void the warranty or cause electrical shock or fire by damaging the machine. Here are some other factors to keep in mind about carpet cleaners.

Always Check Your Carpet FirstEmbedded dirt requires deep cleaning. Check your carpet's warranty or manufacturer's website for suggestions on how often you should clean. Otherwise you could damage the carpet or void its warranty. Some companies, for example, don't allow a pro to reapply stain treatments.

Focus on FeaturesSeparate tanks for hot water and cleaning solution make refilling quicker because you usually need to refill water more often. Smaller tanks mean more frequent refills. Carry and push the machine before buying, especially if you’ll be hauling it up and down stairs. Look for models with attachments if you’d like to clean upholstery or stairs.

Take PrecautionsWorking with water and electricity requires extra care, so if possible, plug the machine into an outlet with a ground-fault circuit interrupter. Wear hearing protection when using any machine for an extended period of time. Don't walk or place furniture on carpet until it's completely dry.

Follow These Tips When Going ProSelect a company approved by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification, a nonprofit organization, to ensure that the company carries liability insurance and employs certified technicians. Make sure they vacuum before deep cleaning, and ask about spot removal. Get a detailed written estimate, check references, and obtain an invoice.

Vent ProperlySome stain removers and cleaning solutions for machines emit fumes, so be sure to open windows and run fans when cleaning. That is especially important if someone in your home has a respiratory problem, such as asthma.

Homeowners who only occasionally clean their carpets may choose to hire a reputable professional or rent a carpet cleaner. But if you have a lot of carpeting and a house full of kids and pets, you might want to think about buying a machine. Here are the types of carpet cleaners to consider.

Rental Deep CleanersOften available at a supermarket, hardware store, or home center for about $20 to $30 per day, these machines combine a tank for dispensing cleaning solution, a second tank for holding dirty solution, a vacuum, and a fixed or moving brush into a single, heavy unit. As a result, they’re cumbersome to push around. In general, look for the cleanest, least-worn brushes on any machine that you’re thinking of renting.

Full-Sized CleanersThey’re lighter and less bulky than typical rental machines. Most work by scrubbing in a solution of water and detergent, then vacuuming up the water and dirt. They can be expensive and take up a fair amount of closet space. In our last tests, they produced mixed results. All the models we tested also required you to use the manufacturer's special detergent.

A carpet cleaner can be a bit unwieldy, so look for features that will make it easier to maneuver, especially if you have carpeted stairs. Here are the carpet-cleaner features to consider.

On upright models, they let you clean upholstery, stairs, bare floors, and tight spots between furniture.

PHOTO: BISSELL

The heavier the cleaner, the harder it is to maneuver. A long vacuum hose can reach, for example, up a flight of stairs.

PHOTO: BISSELL

Some cleaners feature a sensor-operated cutoff that stops an extractor's suction when the tank storing dirty solution is full.

PHOTO: HOOVER

The larger the cleaning-solution tank, the less often you’ll need to refill it. That's handy if you clean a lot of carpet at a time—though the more liquid, the tougher the machine can be to maneuver.

PHOTO: HOOVER

A moving brush tends to give a more aggressive scrub than no brush or a fixed one that moves only as you push the machine, though having one or more does not guarantee good cleaning.

PHOTO: HOOVER

This automatically dispenses the right amount of detergent with water, and it shuts off to allow rinsing with fresh water.

PHOTO: HOOVER

On upright models, they let you clean upholstery, stairs, bare floors, and tight spots between furniture.

PHOTO: BISSELL

The heavier the cleaner, the harder it is to maneuver. A long vacuum hose can reach, for example, up a flight of stairs.

PHOTO: BISSELL

Some cleaners feature a sensor-operated cutoff that stops an extractor's suction when the tank storing dirty solution is full.

PHOTO: HOOVER

The larger the cleaning-solution tank, the less often you’ll need to refill it. That's handy if you clean a lot of carpet at a time—though the more liquid, the tougher the machine can be to maneuver.

PHOTO: HOOVER

A moving brush tends to give a more aggressive scrub than no brush or a fixed one that moves only as you push the machine, though having one or more does not guarantee good cleaning.

PHOTO: HOOVER

This automatically dispenses the right amount of detergent with water, and it shuts off to allow rinsing with fresh water.

PHOTO: HOOVER

Bissell offers dozens of upright, canister, and compact carpet cleaners to address the preferences and needs of categories of consumers, such as pet owners. The company also makes upright, canister, hand, and stick vacuums, along with bare-floor cleaners and carpet-cleaning formulas. Bissell products are available at a variety of mass merchants and home centers, including Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe's, Target, and Walmart.

Hoover introduced its first vacuum in 1907 and has established itself as one of the most recognizable brands in the country. It is owned by TTI Floor Care, which also makes Dirt Devil. The company markets several upright carpet cleaners. Hoover also makes upright and canister vacuums, hand and stick vacuums, bare-floor cleaners, central vacuums, and an outdoor sweeper. Products are available at a wide variety of mass merchants and home centers, including Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe's, Target, and Walmart.

Rug Doctor is a 40-plus-year-old company specializing in carpet cleaners and cleaning supplies. You can rent or buy Rug Doctor carpet cleaners; for purchases, prices range from $529 to $599. To rent, you can use the vendor search tool on Rug Doctor's website to find the nearest retail location with Rug Doctor machines. Prices for renting start at $20 for a 4-hour rental and go up to $50 for a two-day rental, depending on the machine.

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